Sunday, October 04, 2009

If you picked up your emergency VA check last week but your bank refuses to cash anything written hastily on the back of a cocktail napkin, the VA has a solution:

VA is soliciting the support of local and national banks to honor and cash these emergency checks written to our Nation's Veteran-students.

In many cases these checks are handwritten and could pose concerns of fraud from banks. Therefore, VA has established the following special customer service call-in numbers for banks to verify the validity of any US Bank check brought to them by a Veteran.

1-800-827-2166

Banks calling these numbers will be connected directly to a VA employee who can access to all necessary information to verify who the check was issued to, the check number and dollar amount of the check, and whether the check was previously cashed or not.

I hate to say I told you so, but opting for direct deposit would have eliminated this problem. Now veterans are not only relying on the VA, but the good graces of banks to make an exception to their own procedures.

Kind of glad I can't get a check. I think if I took a bunch of time to get a two-month late "advanced" payment, and then went to the bank and they accused me of trying to forge a check, I'd probably flip the fuck out.

When I was trying to use my GI Bill a few years ago, they were perpetually 6 to 12 months behind on payment.

Trying to go to school full-time, carry 12-18 credits, getting by on one meal a day (no money), and spending hours every week on the phone with VA and/or the college veterans rep trying to get them to fix things... fun fun

This blog was created by a veteran of the United States Army and in no way should be taken to reflect the sensibilities of the Department of Defense, The Department of Veterans Affairs or any other credible organization.